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Vol 01.016 
28 February, 1998

In this Issue: 
1. Editorial - Sri V. Sadagopan, Chief Editor 
2. Note from the Publisher 
3. Acharya Vamsa Vriksham - Part 16 - Anbil Ramaswamy 
4. Parama Padha sOpAnam -- Part 5 : - V. Sadagopan 
5. Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam - Madhavakkannan 
6. An appeal for Sri Boomi dEvi samEtha Sri than OppAr illappan kaimkaryam - V. Sadagopan 

1. Editorial by Sri V. Sadagopan

With the "free translation " of Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam , Sri Madhavakkannan has completed the coverage of AchArya RaamAnujA's three gadhyams dealing with his prapatthi and the vision of Sri Vaikuntam . Our AchArya used the power of his prapatthi to leave this mortal world and entered the divine abode of the Lord and worshipped there Sri VaikuntanAthan , who is SarvAnga Sundaran , SarvAbharaNa BhUshithan , DivyAyudha sObhithan and nithya sUri parishannishEvithan . Our AchArya prayed for the blessings of Nithya Kaimkarya soubhAgyam and received that boon from the Lord of Sri Vaikuntam and pointed us the way to approach the Lord to receive such exquisite blessings .

Swami Desikan was inspired by AchArya RaamAnujA and blessed us with the rahasya grantham named Parama Padha sOpAnam that reveals the seven progressive steps in the ascent of a muktha Jeevan to the Lord's abode of Sri vaikuntam and enjoying nithya kaimkaryam there .

We have now released more than a dozen issues of the SaraNAgathi Journal with the able assistance of SrimAns Sampath Rengarajan of Michigan at srengara@hotmail.com, Venkatesh Elayavalli and Anbil Ramaswamy . Please send me your feedbacks on the material presented so far , the topics that you would like to see covered , your questions . We also welcome artciles from new contributors . Please send it to me online ( sgopan@computer.net ) .

Dr. V.Sadagopan
Editor -in -Chief , SaraNAgathi Journal


2. NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Dear BhagavathAs, I will try my best to publish this journal in time in the absence of Sri Anbil and until he returns to resume his responsibility.

adiyEn
Sampath Rengarajan

CONTACT ADDRESS PHONE NO. AT MADRAS : 011-91-44- 6350 246


3. ACHARYA VAMSA VRIKSHAM- Part 16;
Bhagavad Ramanuja (Contd)
Anbil Ramaswamy

Besides the above there were numerous other Sishyas : (Authorities : GLE. AVM and ATA)

1. KOORATHAALWAAN ( AALWAAN)
He was born in 1031 AD (MSR) in the month Thai - Hastham. He assisted the master in documenting the Sri Bhashya (p.315 of GLE) (Please see also paragraphs 10 in Part 11 and 21 in Part 12 of this series) It is he who wrote Pancha Sthavams. He lived for 106 years p.11 and 12 of ATA) One of his sons, Parasara Bhattar was nominated by Ramanuja as one of the Simhaasana Adhipathis (Vide I-6 above).

2. Maadabhooshi Aalwaan

3. AKALANGA NAATTU AALWAAN: he was put in charge of defeating the enemies of the faith (p.316 0f GLE)

4. Kaaraanji Aalwaan
5. Iyunni Aalwaan

6. MUDALI AANDAAN: Aka Daasarathi, Ramanujan Ponnadi, Sri Vaishnava Daasar, Tiru Maru Maarbhan He was THE FIRST Sishya of the master. He had the signal distinction of representing the Masters nephew, his holy feet and holy Tridandam. It was his son Kandaadai Aandaan who installed the Archa Vigraham of the master in Sriperumbudur. During the absence of the master away on Sancharam in the north, it was he who carried out the Srikaryam Kainkaryam in Srirangam (p.39-40 of ATA).

7. Ammangi Aandaan
8. Kandaadai Aandaan
9. Pillai Aandaan
10. Siriya Aachchaan
11. Ennaachchaan
12. Aiyap Pillai Aachchaan
13. Thooyap Pillai Aachchaan
14. Aachi Aachchaan
15. Sri Villiputtur Nambi
16. Sri Paraankusa Bhattar
17. Varam Tharum Periya Perumaal Bhattar 18. Azhagiya Manvaala Bhattar
19. Sri Veda Vyaasa Bhattar
20. Govinda Bhattar
21. Tiruvaranga Bhattar
22. Sri Rangaraaja Bhattar
23. Periya Perumaal Bhattar
24. Sri Kulasekhara Jeeyar
25. Tirumazhisai Jeeyar
26. Tiruvoimozhi Jeeyar
27. Tiru Narayana Pura Jeeyar
28. Sri Saalagraama Jeeyar
29. Govinda Jeeyar
30. Tirumaal irum cholai Jeeyar
31. Tiruvanantha Purathu Araiyar
32. Raja Mahendrap Perumaal Araiyar
33. Pillai Vizhup Puttur Araiyar
34. Tiru Venkadathu Araiyar
35. Aatkonda Ammaal
36. Pattinap Perumaal
37. Raamaanujap Pillaan
38. Gomadathu Ayyan
39. Vaitha Maa Nidhi Siriyappan
40. Periyappan
41. Aniyarangathu Amudhanaar

42. TIRUVARANGATHU AMUDHANAAR (Please see paragraph10 in Part 11 of this series and p.34 of ATA) 43. Aimpathiruvar

44. Emperumaanaar Selvap Pillai
45. Saatraadha Mudhaligal
46. Sri Kulasekarap Perumaal
47. Bhattar Piraan Daasar
48. Pagaivilli Daasar
49. Sri Villiputtur Daasar
50. Sri Narayana Daasar
51. Sri Govardhana Daasar
52. Sri Ramanuja Daasar
53. PILLAI URANGAA VILLI DAASAR (aka Danur Daasa): Looked after the treasury (p.315 of GLE) See also paragraph 22 in Part 12 of this series and p.34-35 of ATA).

54. Ramanuja Velkkaarar
55. Tiruvaranga Daasar
56. Tiruvenkata Daasar
57. Perarulaala Daasar
58. Yathivara Choodaamani Daasar
59. Yathiraaja Daasar
60. Ilayaalwar Daasar
61. Maghizh Alankaara Daasar
62. Sri Satakopa Daasar
63. Pillai Tiruvoimozhi Daasar
64. Senaa Naatha Brahma Raayar
65. Veera Sundara Brahma Raayar

Anbil Ramaswamy 


4. Parama Padha sOpAnam : Part 5 :
V. Sadagopan

Enjoyment of the Beauty of Lord's limbs

PARAMA PADHA SOPAANAM : 9.2 SECTION
In the ninth sOpanam , the Jeevan stands in front of Parama Padha Naathan and eulogizes the Sarvaanga Soundharyam of the Lord . The salutation takes the form of kEsadhi PaadhAntha namaskaraNam .

9.2.1: The enjoyment of the Kireetam of the Lord
The Lord's kireetam is resplendent in its brightness like the thousand rayed Sun befitting His status as Jagadheesvaran . PeriyAzhwAr has alluded to this Jyothi of the Kireetam as " kathirAyiram Ravi kalanthu yeritthAlottha neeLL Mudi " (PeriyAzhwAr Thirumozhi 4.1.1 ) .

NammAzhwAr has also inquired the Lord about the mystery of this adhi-adhbhutha Jyothi of the kireetam , " Mudic chOthiyAi unathu muhac chOthi malarnthathuvO ? -- ThirumAlE KatturayE " (Thiruvaimozhi 3.1.1 ) . Here , NammAzhwar asks His Master and Lord to explain , if He can , about the unmatched radiance of His kireetam . He wonders whether it is the kAnthi of His radiant face that has blossomed forth as the JyOthi of His kireetam .

Swami Desikan's anubhavam combines that the radiance of the dark , curly forelocks ( Kaaka Paksham /alakalalla aadi gaganE --) dangling on the Lord's forehead have mysteriously combined with the jyOthi of the kireetam through the Lord's unique power to reconcile elements that normally are unrecocilable (agaDitha GaDanA sakthi ) . The opposite pairs are united by the Lord of ThiruviNNagar thru such a sakthi as revealed by NammAzhwAr's exquisite paasurams on Oppilaa-appan . In the case of Parama padha nAthan , the dark tresses are like the darkness of the night and that darkness is united with the jyOthi of the thousand -rayed Sun ( Kireetam ) . The union and co-existence of the darkness of the night ( kaaka paksham ) with the brightness of the jyOthi of the kireetam is made possible only because of the agaDitha GaDanA Sakthi of the Lord ( " -- karumai veLumayamAi -- ThiruviNNagar sErntha PirAn seytha kaavu kandeer -- NammAzhwAr : Thiruvaimozhi 6.3. 5) .

Swami Desikan's anubhavam of the Kireetam of BhUlOka VaikuNta naathan at Sri Rangam in the ninth verse of Sri Bhagavadh DhyAna sOpAnam is an elaboration of his anubhavam in Parama Padha sOpAnam :

maalyairantha: sthira parimaLai : vallabhA sparsa mAnyai: kupyath chOLee vachana kutilai: kunthaLai: slishta mUlE I rathnApeeta sapalithE Rangabharthu: kireetE Raajanvathya: sthithimathigathA vrutthaya: chEthasO mE II

( Meaning ) : The Lord of Sri Rangam is adorning His radiant kireetam on His black tresses. Those tresses are already encircled by the fragrant flower garlands . Hence , the tresses are filled with the most captivating fragrance that extends to the kireetam . Those dark tresses under the kireetam have the auspicious contact of the hands of His Consorts , who comb those locks of hair and decorate them with the flower garlands prior to placing the tall , navarathna kireetam on those curly tresses , which resemble in their curliness the vakra vachanams (non-straight , crooked speech ) of the women of ChOLa desam , when they get angry . The base of the kireetam is pressed tightly against those curly tresses and the lustre of the nava rathnams spreads over those dark kesabhaarams .

My mind is deeply attached to that beautiful kireetam of my Lord . My mind , which until now was roaming all over and now it is locked in the enjoyment of the Lord's most beautiful kireetam and hence my mind is under control like the blessed pathivrathai , whose total devotion is to her Lord .

Such is the anubhavam of the Jeevan , when it enjoys the jyOthi of the tall Kireetam of the ThiruviNNagarAn ( parama Padha Naathan ) .

9.2.2 : The Enjoyment of the black kEsa bhArams of the Lord
Swami Desikan is the Jeevan that is enjoying the bewitching beauty of the Lord . After taking in the soundharyam of the kireetam , our AcharyA's gaze concentrates on the dark forelocks dangling on the Lord's forehead . He considers them as the hungry dark bees dipping down to enjoy the honey of the lotus of the Lord's face (VadanAravinda makarantha rasa aasvAdhanam ) .Those locks are moving gently , when the Lord's glances shift to bless the nithya sUris and the Muktha Jeevans . That movement reminds Swami Desikan of the movements of the bumble bee .

This anubhavam reminds Swami Desikan of NammAzhwAr's celebration of the beauty of those kuzhal of the MaayAvi : " koLhira kOLiruLaic chuharnthitta kozhumsuruLin uLL konda neela nannUl tazhai kuzhal ? anRu Maayan kuzhal " ( Thiruvai- Mozhi : 7.7.9 ) . Here nammAzhwAr explains the unique beauty of the dark tresses ( karum kuzhal ) of the Lord and asks his mother to understand the hold that beauty has on her as ParAnkusa Nayaki . NammAzhwAr attaining Nayaki Bhavam says here :

" O my Mother ! Please do not be angry with me ! You do not understand how much I am under the spell of the beauty arising from the combination of those Tulasi-fragrance laden dark tresses . The dark hue of those locks of the hair of my Lord appear as though they are the distilled essence of the darkness of the night of mahA praLayam . Actually , the beauty of my Lord's dark tresses exceed even that of the integrated essence of the dark hue of that famous night . That beauty has stolen my aathmA and I am helpless ." ( ThirvAimozhi 7.7.9) .

9.2.3: The Enjoyment of the soundharyam of the Forehead of the Lord
The combined presence of the dark forelocks with the bright forehead of the Lord reminds Swami Desikan of the AshtamiChandran shining in the dark night . Swami Desikan's mind is still thinking over the ThiruvAimozhi paasurams of 7.7 .7 , where ParAnkusa Naayaki enjoys the beauty of the Lord's forehead ( thiru nuthal ) and compares it to the blemishless , radiant Moon : " nALL mannu veNN ThingaL kol ? nayanthArkatkku nicchilai kol ? " Parankusa Naayaki wonders here whether the radiant forehead is perhaps the blemishless ( white ) Moon . He recognizes that the radiant object bewitching his mind is indeed the forehead of Her Lord . ParAnkusa Naayaki points out that the beautifully radiant forehead of the Lord removes the desire of those , who desire to enjoy it by blessing them with its auspicious darsanam .

ThiruviNNagarappan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam
Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan


5. Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam
Madhavakkannan

SRI:
SrimathE RamnujAya Namah:

This "Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam" is the third Gadhyam of our AchAryA's Gadhya trayam- (Let us immerse ourselves into this excellent composition and get a darshan of Sriya: Pathih Sriman NarayaNa's Vaikuntam and be blessed by the AchAryA and Divya Dampathis;)

1.svAdheena trividha chEtanAchEtana.saraNa manuvrajEth..

"Emperumaan- Bhagawaan- the One who has and holds sway over the ChEthanAs (sentient) namely., bhaktha, muktha and nithya varieties ., and their existence and activities; Also over the AchEthanAs (Non-sentient beings); He is the One who is NOT affected by nor influenced by miseries, pApa and puNya (sinful and virtuous) karmAs; He is the One who has excellent Greatest innumerable kalyANa GuNAs namely., jnAnam, bhalam, aishvaryam, veeryam, shakti, and is an Ocean of such Most Auspicious attributes; - He is the Foremost among men; I shall consider Him as my Master, Friend, Teacher at all times and I shall render service to His Lotus Feet and only such thought should prevail in my mind always;

To attain that Nitya kaimkaryam, even after wasting the Thousands of ages (births), with a thinking that there are OTHER MEANS but to surrender at the Lotus Feet of Him- who is the Ocean of Mercy for all beings; who has the unbounded nature of being good to anyone; who thrills the minds of dEvAs, human beings and all other beings with His Grand GuNAs; who is the Ocean of Love for His bhagavatOttamaaLs; who considers being in the company of His devotees as the Biggest enjoyment; who has the Grandest attributes in Him; Such Sriman NarayaNan's Lotus Feet- I shall think at all times that these Two Feet, which are the only means for salvation for the Athmaa ;There are no OTHER means for salvation - With that thinking I shall surrender at His Feet;

2.thathaccha^EanusmarEth..

"Thereafter, everyday, I shall continue to think in this manner for the salvation of my Athman;

3.chathur dasa bhuvanaathmaka maNdambhagavthE vinEdhayath.. SRI

VAIKUNTAM The Universe which consists of fourteen lOkAs; beyond that, the seven aavaraNangaL which are ten times the size of these Universes; Beyond these Cause and Effect Groups; there exists "parama aakAsam" the One which can NOT be comprehended /attained even by the minds and speeches of Brahmaa and others- That is Sri Vaikuntam, the Divya lOkam. In that lOkam populated by the likes of sanathkumArA known for their jnAnam, by the like of BrahmA, RudrA et al known for their karma bhavanA, likes of mahAthmAs known for their devotion to their (our) Lord, there is ONE BIG ThirukkOil (temple) whose Length and Breadth can NOT be measured at all - which is surrounded by thousands of Gardens full of flowers and kaRpakA trees (capable of giving whatever one wishes) - which is surrounded by thousands of beautiful ramparts; In that temple, there is an exquisitely beautiful "asthAna maNtapam" (Hall?) which has hundreds of thousands of "Rathna" pillars, floor made of gems, curtains, etc., surrounded by trees which shower most fragrant flowers always, at all times;

There are Halls surrounded by kaRpaka trees yielding pArijAtha flowers; These halls always look as if they have just been built; Some of thses halls are meant for Sriman NarayaNan's Divya leelAs and some others are meant for AlarmEl mangai's Divya leelAs and others are meant for the enjoyment of Divya Dampathis together; There are hundreds of thousands of gardens where parrots, peacocks, cuckoos etc., add beauty to them.

They are surrounded by Streams of water where crystal clear water flows; they are filled by Divine Birds which are extremely beautiful to look at and whose sweet voices are pleasing to hear; Divine Swans swim in those streams of water which flow at SriVaikuntam; There are beautiful play grounds which stupefy people who see them; In those play grounds there are beds made of flowers at different places; In one of those playgrounds, where there are honey - bees sing merrily and where sandal, camphor, Divya pushpanGaL etc., add sughandha (Good) smell to the place; Amidst such a place, there is a Divine Beautiful Cot on which is seated, AdisEshan - and Above AdhsEshA;-

SRI MAHA LAKSHMI

She illumines the Entire dEvalOkam with Her lustre; the One who directs the kaimkaryams for the Lord (that has to be done by sEshan) and VishvaksEnar; She is EQUAL to The Lord in GuNAS, Form and the Attributes in all respects- With Such Sri MahAlakshmi, Our Emperumaan adorns the place;

The BEAUTY OF BAGAWAN

Like the just bloomed Red Lotus flower, the kaNNazhgan, Blue hued Lord,- who wears the glittering peethAmbharam, who enlightens the Whole world with His Cool, Pure, ThirumEni;- incomprehensible, Divine, Wonderful, Ever permanent, Youthful, Ocean of Beauty; Since His body is so tender, it appears as if due to exertion, there are few droplets of sweat on His forehead and few strands of dark hair falling on His forehead; - The One, who has the Beautiful eyes as if it is just bloomed Lotus flower, who has the eye brows like the creeper, who has the Most beautiful lower lip, who has the sweet, pleasing smile on His lips, who has soft cheeks, sharp, prominent nose, Bright, long, ear studs (kuNdalanGaL) that hang down to the shoulders; who has the neck like the Conch, who has the calf muscles (that have been pressed by the dEvis and contain the fallen flowers form dEvis' heads)- and the Four long hands extending upto the Calf muscles; who has the Most Beautiful lines in His soles of His Feet, which are red in colour like Red Lotuses; who has the Beautiful rings in His fingers; who has the Fresh Red Lotus like Feet;

Ornaments (AabharaNanGaL)

To touch they are very soft and exude excellent fragrance in them; they are extermely beautiful to look at (because they adorn His Divine Body); these are kireetam (Crown), makutam, choodavathamsam, makarakuNtalam, neckalce, haaram, thOL vaLai, bangles, Sri Vathsam, Kausthupam, Pearl Necklace, araignAN, peethAmbharam, thru vayiRRUp pattam, thiruvadich chilambhu, - such ornaments adorn the Lord; Beautiful Vaijayanthi vanamaali adorns Him; Sanghu, chakrA, Divine Sword, Saarngham, - such srong Divine weapons are borne by Him;

By delegating and giving the necessary powers to VishvaksEnar who just by thinking can create, sustain and destroy the Entire Universe; - Such Emperumaan sits surrounded by NitysUris, who by nature do not have the misfortunes that the samsaaris (like us) are burdened with;

NityasUris

By nature, they are eternally free souls; none that samsaaris have; they consider the servitude to the Lord as the Only enjoyment- Such Divya sooris (like GarudA) serve Him; -

The One, who by just a mere glance can enliven the Universe with Happiness; - His nectar of words that comes from the middle of The Red Lotus-like face; which adorns the Red Lotus; which is adorned by Divine GhAmbeeryam, OudhAryam, mAthuryam and such Great kalyANa GuNAs; which fill the valleys in everyone's minds; - Such Emperumaan- seeing Him in our minds; thinking and realizing Him and His Primordial Nature; -

Longing Desire of Athmaa

Sriman NarayaNan He is the Master of my kulam, the Lord of my kulam, the Wealth of my kulam; My Enjoyment, My mother, My father, My Everything- Such Sriman NarayaNan When will I see Him? When will I get to The Lotus Feet of my Bhagawaan? When will I get the only desire to render service to His Lotus Feet and remove all other desires and all other natures of all kinds of samsaaris and attain His Feet?

When will I get the capacity to render kaimkaryam to Bhagawaan and consider that alone as the Enjoyment and perform kainkaryam? When will Bhagawaan look at me with His cool eyes and speak to me lovingly, majestically and sweetly and command me to render the kainkaryam?

Growing such a desire to render the kaikaryam to the Lord, (which also is growing due to His GRACE only ) approaching the Lord with that desire, I approach SRI VAIKUNTANATHAN, who sits on the lap of AdhisEshan-

ATMA NIVEDHANAM

When I approach The One who sits along with Sri MahAlakshmi, on the lap of Adi sEshan, The One who can be attained by GarudA et al., - Seeing such Bhagawaan- "Oh Sriman NARAYANAA! The One who stays with all His parivaar (entourage)!" addressing the Lord like that from afar, from a long distance, from then on,- continue to prostrate on the Ground towards the Direction where He sits, - with full of fear (due to Great respect), politeness, pay obeisance to the Lord and all others sitting in that Hall, the Commander-in-Chief, The Gate keepers, et al., and be seen and blessed by each of their merciful eyes; - Finally approach the Lord very closely and stay very near to Him and utter the ThiruvashtAkshara manthram and beg Him saying " Please grant me the capacity to render Nitya kainkaryam to YOU, My Lord, without any interruption and without any other fruit;" With such yAchakam (begging), I should surrender myself to the Lord.

4. thathO bhagawathA swayamEva^E.bhagavantha mupaasithE^E Bhagawaan considers and takes care

"Then, Bhagawaan by Himself, for the salvation of athmaa, - looks very lovingly, and very much mercifully at me; I at all times, at all situations, will be enabled to have the necessary capacity to be the Humble servant; and will be permitted to be so; will pay obeisance to the Lord with full of Great fear (due to enormous reverence and respect for Him) and will serve Him with Folded arms and render service to Him.

5. Thathascha ^EavalOkayan aasitha..

The Ultimate Bliss of Bhagawaan's Darshanam " Then, enjoying all natures of the Lord, due to the Great infinite amount of love and bhakti for the Lord, there can not be any other doing, seeing, thinking- such actions are not possible to be carried out by me any more (by His grace); begging only for being His servant exclusively; Looking at HIM UNITERRUPTEDLY like a CRYSTAL CLEAR CONTINUOUS STREAM of seeing HIM and shall continue to do so;

6. ThathO bhagawathO swayamEva^Esukhamaaseetha..

The Athma sukham Granted By Bhagawaan Then, Bhagawaan, by Himself, for the salvation of athmaa, looks at ME, very much lovingly, affectionately, with a GENTLE SMILE CALLS ME, and removing all kinds of SORROWS, GRANTING THE UNBOUNDED, UNPARALLELED, ENJOYMENT OF KEEPING HIS LOTUS FEET ON MY HEAD- Like that Meditate on Him and let all parts (of the Body, Mind and the Intellect and Athmaa?) be immersed in THE OCEAN OF NECTAR AND ENJOYING THE GREATEST BLISS FOR EVER AND EVER;

Dearest BhAgavatOttamALs, Such is the most Excellent composition of our AchAryA, YathirAjA, Sri RamanujAchArya, the third of his Gadhya trayam (Sri ranga Gadhyam, SaraNAgathi Gadhyam,and thirdly Sri Vaikunta Gadhyam). It is Divya dampatis' grace that has enabled me to complete this herculean task and your bhakti and devotion that makes it more palatable. Be blessed with our AchAryA's tremendous

enjoyment and bhakti for Sriya: pathih Sriman NarayaNan.
NarayaNa dAsan madhavakkaNNan


6. An appeal for Sri Boomi dEvi samEtha Sri than OppAr illappan kaimkaryam
V. Sadagopan

Dear BhakthAs of Sri Vaikunta Nathan (ThiruviNNagarappan):

Now that Sri Bhumi Devi's MaaNiccka Kondai, Maragatha KiLi and Golden Jatakothsu Kaimkaryam has been completed , it is an appropriate time to offer prapatthi to ThiruviNNagarappan . There are eleven moving Prapatthi slOkams that are recited before Oppiliappan by His BhakthAs . I will take this opportunity to summarize their meaning in this series of postings .

Let us seek now His blessings to complete the last of the planned kaimkaryams (viz) ., the samarpaNam of Mutthangis for the uthsava mUrthys ( Ponnappan and BhUmi dEvi ) on Kaisika Ekaadasi of 1998 . We need a total of 50,000 Rupees ( $1,400 ) to complete this Kaimkaryam . The contribution of $35 by 40 BhakthAs would help to complete this last of the present series of Kaimkaryam to the SaraNya dampathis , who received and granted Prapatthi to NammAzhwAr .I pledge 10 % of the needed funds ( $140 ) . That would leave $ 1,260 , which could be raised from $35 contributions each by 36 BhakthAs .

We have completed the taping of two tapes realting to the Mahimai of Sri Oppiliappan . One of them is a summary of AzhwAr's anubhavams in Tamil . The second tape is a musical tribute to Sri Bhumi Devi samEtha Sri Oppiliappan . These two tapes will be presented to the contributors to this kaimkaryam . These two tapes will be presented to the contributors to this kaimkaryam . Sri Sampath Rengarajan (srengara@hotmail.com) has kindly offered to help with the duplication and distribution of these two tapes . Once you have made the contributions in US please send an email with a mention of your mailing address to srengara@hotmail.com to receive the tapes. The individual items in the second tape are :

  1. The GhantA Naadham (the peeling of the Big Bell) of Thiruppathi temple ( Swami Desikan is revered as the ghantAvathAram ) .
  2. Naathasvaram piece: Bowlai Raagam
  3. Gottu Vadhyam : Nava Raaga VarNam of PattaNam SubramaNya Iyer
  4. Nyaasa Dasakam rendering by Srimathi SanthAnam Jayalakshmi
  5. One Paasuram of Thirumangai by VidvAmsini Srimathi Vedavalli
  6. TWELVE Krithis on Oppiliappan by Vidvamsani Padma Veeraraghavan
  7. ShaNmukha PriyA , 56th MeLa Raagam
  8. VakuLabharaNam , 14th MeLa Raagam
  9. AbhOgi Krithi
  10. Navaneetham , 40th MeLa Raagam
  11. Raaga Maalikai
  12. ChArukEsi , 26th MeLa Raagam
  13. Ranjani Krithi
  14. Mohana Raaga Krithi
  15. Desika MangaLam by VidvAmsini Jayalakshmi SanthAnam
  16. SaavEri Krithi
  17. Svara SammELanam Krithi ( Bhajan )
  18. Hemavathi , 58th MeLa Raaga Krithi
Those from India can send their contributions directly to Sri Venaktanathan ( 25 Naacchiappan Street , Mahalingapuram Chennai 60034 . Tel : 827-3531) , the grandson of Vangeepuram Navaneetham Swamy of Oppiliappan Koil .

Sri Bhumi Devi Sametha Sri Oppiliappan's ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan